Sharing Is Caring… If You Ask First

We’ve always had an issue with food going missing from the lunchroom; most of the time, it looked like an honest or stupid mistake. When that turned into whole meals disappearing, we complained, but the building owners refused to let the company install a camera. We then realised it was up to us.

We knew the thief didn’t take the whole lunch box, rather the contents, sometimes from more than one lunch at a time. Some of the items couldn’t be smuggled back from the kitchen as they were too big. That meant the items must be still in the fridge but in another lunch bag.

There were several large ones, but we couldn’t go through them and had no proof to go to management. So, we hatched a plan.

We each took turns sneaking to the fridge and checking to see if the thief had struck, and another person jotted down the names of everyone who went into the kitchen and what time.

When it was my turn to check, I found my lunch half gone. Luckily, the manager was nearby.

Me: “Someone has stolen my food and food from others.”

Boss: “Oh, not again.” *Loudly* “Listen, everyone. We take a serious view of theft in this company. Anyone caught will face consequences!”

Coworker #1: “Here is a list of everyone that has gone to the fridge.”

Boss: “What are these stars next to the names?”

Me: “They are the people that have volunteered to check the fridge and have had things stolen from them in the past.”

He reads through the list.

Boss: “[Coworker #2], can you come with me, please, and bring your lunch with you?”

Coworker #2: “What? No! I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Boss: “No one said you had, but I would like to talk with you.”

Coworker #2: “Well, I refuse, and my lunch box is my personal property!”

Boss: “We can do it this way or with police presence.”

[Coworker #2] folds her arms, calling his bluff.

Coworker #3: “I’m on the phone to the station now; they want to know if they need to attend.”

Boss: *Sighs* “Tell them please do.”

The police attended and took [Coworker #2] to one side, all the time screaming her innocence. They bring me in to confirm the stolen food was mine. Part of the plan was to initial all lunch items with our names; we found food from three other people in her massive lunch box. None of us wanted to press charges, but they couldn’t keep her on as no one wanted to work with her.

The weird thing was that [Coworker #2] always had her own lunch — normally a really healthy meal — but never finished it. Now we know why she was stealing chocolate bars and crisps from others.